posted Jan 31, 2012 11:26 AM by Tod Nixon
This week's update of ShotDriver AD includes a reworked layout of the main Script window featuring a command drawer that slides out from either the left or the right side of the window. Among other new features, still images are now stored in a separate folder that resides in the same folder as the shot list file. ShotDriver AD now displays still images in the correct proportion. The instant localization functionality provided by Google Translate has been reworked to be even faster for many European languages. But you may still need to go to ShotDriver AD's Language window to correct errors that do occur in automatic translations.
Here's a tip: If you have your Mac desktop setup with the Dock on the left of the screen, then it can interfere with clicks you intend to make on a command drawer item. To avoid this you should configure ShotDriver AD's command drawer to be on the right hand side of the script window. Go to ShotDriver AD's preferences, General tab to make that change. |
posted Jan 17, 2012 6:22 PM by Tod Nixon
I'm happy to announce that ShotDriver now supports the Broadcast Tools GPI-16, a GPI-to-Serial device that requires a generic serial-to-USB adaptor to bring its signal into the computer. Unfortunately, the most recent Mac OS version, Lion (10.7) has "broken" the software drivers for these serial-to-USB adaptors. So we're looking for a fix until compatible drivers are published.
Now that more than one device can be used to drive ShotDriver's automatic switcher advance and tally system, there is a new tab in ShotDriver's Preferences, Switcher/Tally, where you can select the USB port that is connected to the GPI-16.
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posted Apr 18, 2011 9:20 PM by Tod Nixon
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updated Aug 14, 2011 3:16 PM
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Traditionally, software developers release separate versions of their products in different languages. I realized that there is a way of maintaining one version of the program which will localize itself automatically using Google Translate. The free Google Translation service allows you to download translations into any of more than fifty languages!
Of course, there will always be some things that automatic translation doesn't get right. So you can use the new Language window to view a list of the native English phrases, and edit your own translations in the language of your choice. You can have any number of different dictionaries or localizations, and switch among them very easily.
Go to ShotDriver's Preferences to select your desired localization. Then relaunch the program. If you have an internet connection, the translations will download automatically. Go to ShotDriver's Language window to watch that process. |
posted Nov 24, 2010 12:57 PM by Tod Nixon
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updated Dec 5, 2010 11:05 AM
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There are a few moments in the course of a performance when you do not want signals from the switcher to advance the shot list. When the "Enable switcher advance" checkbox is set, any take on the switcher –whether it is the camera that the shot list calls for or not– ShotDriver AD will advance the shot list.
You may want to briefly HOLD or interrupt the advance of the shot list, by pressing the HOLD button (or pressing the Command key on the keyboard) momentarily.
You may also use the OFF BOOK button to lock the system in a hold state which will be cleared when you take the next shot via the keyboard, or when you switch the OFF BOOK button off. So the OFF BOOK button and the HOLD functions are identical, but where HOLD is momentary, OFF BOOK stays latched until you toggle it off or manually advance the shot list.
And finally, you may program an OFF BOOK state into your shot list by entering [HOLD] in the shot description. This is useful at the end of scripted segments and the end of your show file. |
posted Nov 24, 2010 12:19 PM by Tod Nixon
The newest version of ShotDriver allows for up to 16 cameras in a shot list. There is still a limit of 10 cameras which can receive a Camera view look at upcoming shots, but List view and Tallys will now accomodate up to 16 cameras.
There have been numerous other additions and improvements over the fall.
ShotDriver AD version 1.7.3 requires the use of ShotDriver Camera version 1.7.0 or higher. In other words, both applications need to be updated in this latest release for correct functionality.
This version of ShotDriver AD contains a new mode: Lock to timecode for playback. This allows playback of a performance to be followed by ShotDriver for purposes of review. |
posted Apr 29, 2010 2:25 PM by Tod Nixon
When you print a shot list, you will see page numbers in green in the note column, which indicate the top of each page in the printed list. Page numbers are sent to the Camera clients in a shot's "TLA" column, and optionally as a system message.
There is a new command in the File menu: Clear page numbers, which will remove the page numbers. And page numbers are automatically cleared if you adjust the line height of the list, since that will change the printed page layout. |
posted Mar 30, 2010 12:21 PM by Tod Nixon
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updated Mar 30, 2010 3:05 PM
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In our system of robot controlled cameras at S.F. Opera, each operator's station can control any camera, and there are more cameras than operators. When an operator takes control of a camera, a serial data command is sent to the video router, and the appropriate camera is selected on the operator's preview bus.
ShotDriver can now monitor the serial data connection and respond to these commands, which lets us do a variety of things. First, the video director can see which cameras are under active control, in real time. And secondly, at each camera operator's station, ShotDriver Camera is able to automatically switch the selected camera in its Camera View and List view windows.
There is also a new tally in ShotDriver Camera, the "Switched tally bar" which gives the operator a program tally for the camera under active control. This avoids taking up room on-screen with tallys for each camera an operator might need to control.
The configuration and performance of the serial port is monitored in a new tab in ShotDriver AD's Preferences window.
Look for an update to be available this week.
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posted Feb 2, 2010 10:03 AM by Tod Nixon
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updated Mar 30, 2010 12:36 PM
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The page Timecode and MIDI of the documentation has been expanded to clarify how to connect signals from your video switcher/vision mixer and ShotDriver.
Once you have completed the configuration as described there, any switcher selection will advance the shot list. However the input that is actually selected may not always correspond to the camera planned for that shot as shown in the shot list.
A range of simple keyboard inputs exist to help the operator maintain the correct selected shot in the list, for those moments when the input selected is different than the input called for in the shot list. See the In performance page of the documentation. |
posted Dec 11, 2009 9:16 AM by Tod Nixon
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updated Dec 11, 2009 9:24 AM
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Here's a company making a line of USB touchscreen video monitors:
http://www.mimomonitors.com/
This looks like a great way to distribute ShotDriver Camera display windows to camera positions. The products are all bus powered, so they only require one cable. However, the challenge will be to distribute the USB effectively. There are a number of USB extenders and USB over Ethernet products, but we have not yet built a system to test such devices with ShotDriver.
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posted Nov 24, 2009 9:51 PM by Tod Nixon
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updated Nov 24, 2009 9:55 PM
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Along with a little re-working of the website, ShotDriver is now available. An additional receiver app, ShotDriver Director's Window, will be available soon. Along with a stand-alone tally transmitter/receiver pair. As usual, all receiver apps will be available for both Mac and Windows OS. Let us know if you need apps for a Linux environment! |
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